Hinge means



W. J- SMITH March 16, 1965 HINGE MEANS Filed March 19 FIG; I.

INVENTOR William J. Smith ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,173,567 Patented Mar. 16, 1965 3,173,567 HINGE MEANS William J. Smith, 1011 Ashland Drive, Laurel, Md. Filed Mar. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 266,246 2 Claims. (Cl. 217-44) This invention relates to an improved hinge means and relates more particularly to a hinge means for detachably connecting the ends of a packing container such as a hogshead or the like having reinforcing straps extending therearound.

As conducive to a better understanding of the instant invention it should be understood that in many packing containers, particularly tobacco hogsheads or the like, it is necessary to provide a detachably connected opening seam to facilitate filling and subsequent inspection of the contents thereof. Each of these containers normally includes a plurality of spaced strap means extending about its periphery to reinforce the same against bursting or other fracture particularly from pressure from within the H container. These strap means are ordinarily secured to members of a hinge means adjacent the edges of the container forming the seam and it is conventional to close the container and bring the hinge members into association by pressure against the butt ends of each member until the openings defined in cooperating barrels formed in each hinge member are aligned so that a coupling means such as a pintle or the like may be inserted therethrough to lockably secure the container. In the hinge means of the prior art, each of the hinge members included a substantially U-shaped bent metal strap forming a pair of parallelly extending arms defining a strap end receiving pocket therebetween in which one end portion of the strap means was secured and a barrel connecting the arms and secured to the container adjacent the edge seam for receiving the pintie. The arms of the hinge members used heretofore extended approximately the same distance away from the seam edge and the strap means secured therebetween passed from the butt ends of these arms and extended around the container. When pressure toward the seam and parallel to the container surface was exerted against the butt end of the outer arm of each hinge member by the closing tool conventionally used, it was found that a component of this pressure also was provided perpendicularly to the closing direction, that is, toward the surface of the container. This latter component of pressure frequently caused a snapping or rupturing of the strap means at the point where it entered the bight between the arms of the hinge members.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a hinge means for use with packing containers of the type described which will obviate the snapping and breaking of strap means by the pressure of the closing tool.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hinge means which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efficient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and utilize.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a hinge means of the type described wherein the inner arm of each hinge member, that is, the arm against the container surface and underlying the end portion of the strap means, extends further from the seam edge than the outer arm so as to support the portion of the strap means subjected to pressure toward the container surface from the closing tool and prevent it from snapping.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an improved hinge means for use in packing containers such as tobacco hogsheads or the like having a pair of cooperating hinge members each including a pair of parallel inner and outer arms having a space or pocket therebetween for receiving an end portion of the strap means, wherein the inner arm extends beyond the outer arm so that when a closing tool is pressed against the butt end of the outer arm, the inner arm provides a bearing and supporting surface underlying the end portion of the strap means to prevent the snapping of the same.

Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown on the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a hogshead utilizing the improved hinge means in accordance with the instant inventive concept;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan View of the hinge means of the prior art showing the hinge members being pressed toward each other by a conventional closing tool.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary topplan view of an improved hinge means in accordance with the instant invention showing the hinge members being pressed toward each other by a conventional closing tool.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the improved hinge means of the instant invention, with portions of the closing tool shown in operative engagement with the butt ends of the outer arms of the hinge members; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the improved hinge means including the coupling means for detachably securing the hinge members to each other.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawing in general and more particularly to FIGURE 1, reference numeral 10 designates a hogshead or the like which may be of any specific construction but which is preferably made in accordance with the disclosures of Ralph S. McConnell as shown in his Patents Nos. 2,280,761, 2,344,995, and 2,375,122. The hogshead comprises top and bottom members 12 (only one being shown for illustrative convenience) and a substantially cylindrical side member 14 preferably formed of a plurality of staves 16, 16 as shown in FIG- URE 1 and as disclosed in the McConnell patents. The tops and bottoms 12 are seated beneath any conventional cleat members 18 in a Well known manner. The side member 14 is formed with either a single opening seam 20 or may be made in a plurality of sections which cooperate with each other to form the cylindrical shape, for example, as shown in McConnell Patents Nos. 2,280,- 761 and 2,375,122. A plurality of vertically spaced strap means 22, preferably formed of steel or the like, surround the side member 14 for reinforcement. The end portions of the strap means 22 are secured in cooperating members of a hinge means 24 which may be detachably secured to each other for opening and closing the hogshead 10.

As shown in FIGURE 2, prior art hinge means have comprised two hinge members 26 and 28 each bent into substantially a U-shape to form parallelly extending inner and outer arms 30 and 32, respectively, defining therebetween a pocket or space for receiving the end portions 34 of the strap means 22. Rivets or the like 36 secure the end portions 34 to the arms 30 and 32 and nut and bolt means 37 secure the entire assembly to the hogshead 10 adjacent the seam 20.

The arms 30 and 32 are each bent to form barrels 38, one hinge member having a single centrally extending barrel and the other hinge member having a pair of barrels spaced apart to receive the single barrel therebetween in a well known manner. The barrels 38 define aligned apertures40 for reception of a coupling means such as a pintle or the like (not shown in FIGURE 2).

It is conventional to close the seam 26 by pressing against the butt end 42 of the outer arms 32 of each hinge member26 and 28 with lug members 44 of a closing tool generally indicated at 46. The closing tool 46 has a first handle 48-maintained substantially stationary and a second handle 50 connected to a ratchetmeans 52 for facilitating inward pressure in the direction of the arrows 54. In the conventional closing tool 46 the lug members 44 Y for pressing the hinge members'of the top and bottom strap means 22a (seeFIGURE l) are pivotally mounted at 44a. Curved bearing members 45 on the closing tool 46 are pivotally secured at 45a to plates 47 and are adapted to press against the inner surfaces of the cleats 18 during operation of the tool. The pressure exerted by the closing tool 46 has a component perpendicular. to the closing direction 54, that is, towards the side member 14 as indicated by the arrows 56 and it has been found that in prior art structures where the butt ends of the inner and outer arms 30 and 32 of the hinge members 26 and 28 extend approximately the same distance from the seam 20, the lug members 44 have a tendency to angle inwardly as shown in FIGURE 2. This component 56 of the pressure from the closing tool 46 has frequently snapped the band 22 in the vicinity of the portions 58 where it bends backwardly from its reception between the arms 30 and 32 to lie flat against, and extend around,'the side mem ber 14. a V

The improved hinge means of the instant invention as shown in FIGURES 3 to includes a pair of hinge members having parallelly extending inner and outer arms 60 and 62 connected adjacent the seam 20 to form a single centrally extending barrel 64 on oneof the hinge members anda pair of spaced" barrels 66 on the cooperating hinge member. The spaced barrels 66 receive the single barrel 64 therebetween as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The endportions 68 of the inner arms 60'extend beyond the butt ends 70' of the outer arms 62 so that when the lugs 44 of the closing tool 46 are positioned against the butt ends 70,. they are supported by the end portions 68 of the inner arms 60 and bear against them rather than against an unsupported portion of the strap means 22 as in prior art constructions. Thus, when the closing means 46' is operated to exert a pressure in the direction of the arrows secured in fixed relationship to the closing tool 46. This reduces the magnitude. of the perpendicularly directed component of force thereby reducing the frequency of snapped strap means. Theimproved hinge means of the instant invention, while not as critical for usewith the intermediate strap means. 22b, 'Will still be of value in eliminating this undesirable occurrence.

its periphery will be improved by the hinge means of the instantinvention. v I a v It will now be seen that there is herein provided-an improved hinge means which satisfies all the objects of the instant invention and others, including. many advantages of greatpractical utility andcomrnercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made; or". this inventive concephand since many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore-shown and described it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a packing container having a side member including at least one opening. seam with two opposing edges, at least one strap means including an end portion adjacent each edge of said seam and a. body portion extending around said side member, and a hinge means including a of spaced apart, substantially parallel, inner and outer 54, the strap means 22 will not be subject to snapping or rupturing as it washeretofore.

When the barrels 64 and 66 are pressed together the apertures 72- formed therein will be aligned for reception of a coupling means 74 of any conventional form.- In FIGURE 5, a pintle having a shaft 76 receivable in the apertures 72 includes a headed end 78 and a transverse bore 80 defined at its other end for reception of a cotter pin 82 or a piece of wire (not shown) or the like. If

desired, the coupling means 74 may simply comprisea arms defining a strap end-portion receiving pocket therebetween, each of said inner armsbeing in abutting relationship with said side'rnember and having a first endportion extending away from said seam, one end portion of .said strap means being received and secured in said pocketdefined in each-'hinge member, each of said outer arms having an end portion. extending away. from said seam, said end. portion'of each inner arm extending beyond said end portion of its associated outer arm and defining a supporting surface beneath its associated end portion of said strap means. v

2. A structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said side member includes a plurality of sidesections, each of said side sections having two edgesg-the edges of each side section opposing the edges of another side section to provide a substantially cylindrical packing container having a plurality of seams, strap means extending around each side section and hinge means secured to each strap means and detachably connecting said side sections.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 511,439 12/93 Korman 2 4'--22 2,127,435 s/ss' Snow et a1. 21'7 91 2,375,122 5/45 McConnell 217-44 2,514,829 7/50 Barkley 217- 44v THERON E. coNDoN, Primary'Exam'iner. 

1. IN A PACKING CONTAINER HAVING A SIDE MEMBER INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE OPENING SEAM WITH TWO OPPOSING EDGES, AT LEAST ONE STRAP MEANS INCLUDING AN END PORTION ADJACENT EACH EDGE OF SAID SEAM AND A BODY PORTION EXTENDING AROUND SAID SIDE MEMBER, AND A HNGE MEANS INCLUDING A HINGE MEMBER SECURED TO EACH END PORTIN OF SAID STRAP MEANS AND A COUPLING MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID HINGE MEMBERS TO EACH OTHER, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES EACH OF SAID HINGE MEMBERS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED APART, SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL, INNER AND OUTER ARMS DEFINIGN A STRAP END-PORTION RECEIVING POCKET THEREBETWEEN, EACH OF SAID INNER ARMS BEING IN ABUTING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SIDE MEMBER AND HAVING A FIRST END PORTION EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID SEAM, ONE END PORTION OF SAID STRAP MEANS BEING RECEIVED AND SECURED IN SAID POCKET DEFINED IN EACH HINGE MEMBER, EACH OF SAID OUTER ARMS HAVING AN END PORTION EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID SEAM, SAID END PORTION OF EACH INNER ARM EXTENDING BEYOND SAID END PORTION OF ITS ASSOCIATED OUTER ARM AND DEFINING A SUPPORTING SURFACE BENEATH ITS ASSOCIATED END PORTION OF SAID STRAP MEANS. 